Latch for floor racks



March 24, 1953 R. F. NELSON ETAL LATCH FOR FLOOR BAcxs Filed March 11, 1949 Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE aesfagiosv LAToii non FLOOR RACKS Reubenl'rancis Nelson and Henry Daniel Doerman, Roseville, Calif, Application Mar-c1111, 1949, 'serial' No. 80.944

2 Claims. (Cl. 10B-375) v This invention relates to a latch for floor vracks and more particularly to a latch mechanism for' use in refrigerator cars to hold the floor rack in raisedv position during cleaning of the car.

In refrigerator cars it is customary to provide floor racks formed of rack sections which are hinged at the side of the car to swing between a horizontal position adjacent the car floor during use and a vertical position adjacent the car side wall to facilitate cleaning of the car. The present invention relates specifically to a latch mechanism to hold the oor rack sections in vertical position without interfering with normal use of the car. h

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a latch which is extremely simple to manufacture and install and which positively holds the floor rack` sections in elevated or raised position with a minimum liability of accidental release.

Another object is to provide a latch which is fully recessed in the car side wall when not in use to provide a smooth continuous wall so that there will be no interference with lading in the car and no liability of damage to the latch.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a diagrammatic transverse section through a refrigerator car equipped with a latch according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the latch in use;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing the condition of the latch when not in use;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the latch mechanism;

Figure 5 is a section with the parts in the position of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a section with the latch in the position of Figure 3.

The invention may be applied to vany standard or conventional car construction having a oor l and vertical side walls II. It will be understood that the floor and side walls may be of conventional double wall insulated Vconstruction of any desired type and are illustrated only diagrammatically. The floor of the car carries floor racks formed by a plurality of rack sections I2, each of which is formed by supporting beams I3 extending longitudinally of the car and connected by slats I4 extending across the car. Each of the rack sections is hinged adjacent the side wall of the car, as indicated at I so that it can be swung f from a horizontal position, 'as indicated at the left inY Figure 1, tc a vertical 'position adjacent the yside wall of the car, as* indicatedat the right in Figure l.

According to the present invention, a latch is provided to hold the floor lrack` sectionsI in their vertical positions to facilitate cleaningof the car. As shown, thecar side wan |"I is recessed, as indicated at IB, to provide a space in which the latch may be mounted, and the latch itself isV cilrii`- v strueoedy tent into the recessso that meisten and car wan win present a substantially smooth continuous surface. l

With this construction there is ninterfeence with the lading in the car, andiliability of damage to the latch is eliminated- The latch itself coinpris'es'A a pair of flat metal plates I'Il and I8, each of which is rolled 'ln/'er at one edge, asA indicated at IS-and 2-`I.- A hingepin or pintle extends through the rolled over portions I9 and 2| to form an offset hinge connection between the plates. With this construction the plates can be swung from' a spaced parallel position, as shown in Figures 3 and 6, to a position substantially at right angles to each other, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. 'I'he backplate I1 is hat and is formed with a series of openings to receive fastenings such as Iscrews 23 by means of which it is secured to the back wall of the recess. It will be noted, as best seen in Figure 6, that the distance between the plates when they are in their spaced parallel position is equal to the depth of the recess so that the outer surface of the plate I8 is ush with the inner surface of the car side wall Il. Thus the plate I8 forms, in effect, a continuation of the car side wall surface so that there is no interference in the lading in the car and there are no projecting parts on the latch mechanism to be caught by the lading and dam-aged.

At its free edge the plate I8 is turned over into a flange 24 which terminates in an inwardly extending lip 25. The flange and lip project from the plate I8 a distance equal to the hinge oi-set so that when the latch is in the positions shown in Figures 3 and 6 the lip 25 will engage the inner wall of the recess and will limit swinging of the plate I8 into the recess. This insures that the plate I8 will be held in the plane of the car wall to provide a smooth surface. The flange 24 and lip 25 also form a hook member to engage the upper edge of the floor rack when it is in its raised position to hold it in this position. To facilitate raising of the latch plate I8, it is preferably cut or notched at its edges, as indicated Figures 2 and 5, the flanges 24 and 3l and the lips 25 and 32 will interengage securely tohold n the rack in its elevated position. "Due to'the presence of the lips 25 and 32,' the latch. can-:"1

not be accidentally disengaged but reduire fordisengagement that the iioor-v rack be pressed tightly against the side wall 'f' the' car and that the latch plate I8 be deliberately raised'to free the ange 24 from the flange 3| and to clear the end of the slats I4.

, ,It will be observed that the latch of the present invention is very simple to vmanufacture and install and that it providesa positive latching action securely to hold Vthe oor rackselevated. t thesame time it is extremely easy to use and avoids any interference with the car lading. While one embodiment of the invention has beenvv Vshow n and described in detail herein, it All be understood that this is illustrative only and is not to be takenas a definition of the scope ofvv he invention, referencebeing had for -this purpose to the appended claims. v

.what is claimed is:

prising a pair of platesl having flat rectangular body portions pivotally interconnected at one edge to swing from an overlying parallel position to a positionatY substantially a right angle to each other, one of the plates being bent over at its free edge to form a hook portion to engage a floor rack, and the other plate having a flat surface for connection to a wall, and a complementary angular plate for attachment to the floor rack having an edge portion to interengage with the bent over edge of said one of the plates. f V2. A` latch for floorrack's and the like comprising a pair of vplates rhaving nat rectangular body portions pivotally interconnected at one 1 edge to swing from an overlying parallel position to a -position at substantially a right angle to each other, one of the plates having a ange at its :free edge turned toward the other plate when the plates are in their overlying parallel position andv formed with an inwardly turned lip at its edge to 'denne a hook portion to engage L a floor rack, and a complementary plate for at- LVA latch for oor racks and-the like coml tachment to the oor rack having a flat edge portion terminating in an outwardly turned lip tointerfit with the flange and lip on said one oi the plates. REUBEN FRANCIS NELSON. HENRY DANIEL DOERMAN.

REFERENCES Y CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 1

UNITED STATESV Pa'rarrrsV Zane 1 Dec. 24, 1940 

